Tractor trailers are used to transport a wide variety of loads. Some tractor trailers haul hazardous materials. A hazardous material load could pose a security risk, especially if the load can be moved to a vulnerable location. Transportation security depends on keeping trailer loads, especially hazardous material loads under control at all times.
Trailers are typically coupled to tractors by a king pin of the trailer secured in a fifth wheel of the tractor. The fifth wheel includes a locking mechanism with jaws that engage the king pin to secure the trailer to the tractor. The mechanism allows the jaws to disengaged. When the jaws are disengaged the king pin can be inserted into or removed from the jaws, allowing the trailer to be coupled or uncoupled from the tractor. The mechanism also facilitates engagement to the jaws around the king pin, securing the trailer to the tractor. One such fifth wheel mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,665 to Terry et al., which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirely.
Many modem tractors include electronically controlled engines. GPS receivers and sophisticated communications systems are available for tractors. Modem tractors may include an on-vehicle computer system that could be used to control the engine.
A trailer is generally much less sophisticated than the associated tractor. Existing trailers do not typically include GPS receivers, communications systems, onboard computer systems or other systems that would allow the trailer to be adapted to be remotely controlled in the event the trailer was seized and separated from the tractor.
As a result, there is a need for system that locks a trailer to an associated tractor in response to a state of a remote signal. One such system prevents locking jaws of a fifth wheel of a truck around a king pin of a trailer from being released unless an appropriate remote signal is received by the system.